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Where to invest the most in the "digital chain"?

Dear All,

I'd love to get everyone's opinions on where best to invest/invest the most, in the "digital chain".

Using my current "basic" system as an example I have very good Internet service into a very good router with the stock PSU on a dedicated power conditioner strip with an ifi AC iPurifier. From there I have Audioquest Pearl Cat6 to a Cisco 2960G with an upgraded Russ Andrews Power Cable. There follows another AQ Pearl Cat6 to an English Electronics 8Switch with an ifi iPowerX. From there I have the Chord C-Stream Ethernet to my ifi Zen Stream with a 15V ifi iPowerX. Then a Wireworld Chroma 8 cable to an ifi iPurifier3 into a Zen DAC v2 also with ifi iPowerX. The EE8, Stream and DAC benefit from a power-conditioner/surge protector and a pair of AC iPurifiers.

I've got a SotM iSO-CAT7 on order which I am intending to put between the EE 8Switch and the network transport with a dCBL-CAT7u into the network transport.

Phew, that was a lot of words!

My question is, and this applies to all systems as a generic question, where is it best to invest the most? Should the best Ethernet cables and/or switches and/or isolators be first in the chain (i.e. from the Internet source) or at the end of the chain (into the DAC/Music Streamer/Network Transport)? Similarly, where should the best power supplies be placed? Or does it all matter equally?

This is purely about the digital chain, I'm well aware that great speakers and a great AMP with good power and speaker cables make all the difference too!

I'm interested in opinions and I will of course experiment for myself.

jabbaman
ghdprentice
6,428 posts
 

The key to streamers is that they isolate vibration, electrical noise… etc. the signal sent to the DAC is incredibly important. They make a huge difference. Keeping the DAC and streamer separate (as long as they are both high quality) also makes an important difference.

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smortega
67 posts
 

I'm also on the DAC camp being the most important. Then that the DAC uses ethernet as the conduit- it's the most direct route to the 1's and 0's.Then Roon to organize the 1's and 0's. After that, it gets subjective. I did put in a non-audiophile grade network switch on the advice of my workplace IT guy who agrees that separating what's going to the audio outputs from the rest of the router noisiness was a good idea but I could get that for $200 rather than $800, or even much more. As for cables, I moved up to Blue Jeans uncut and borrowed some tools from my IT friend to attach the RJ-45 plugs. The switch and the cables together did indeed make a difference, but nowhere near as much as a DAC with an Ethernet card. 

david_ten
5,480 posts
 

It's good to learn from the virtues of setting up camp on a dry river bed while watching the rain clouds unleash upstream. 

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,465 posts
 

I see the DAC as the hub of a great digital system.   I have had a DAC long before they were in fashion.  Obviously the DAC's quality is of great importance,  but what feeds the DAC is equally important.    I really like my current DAC but in the spring I am going to bring home a few DACs and most likely upgrade within my one year window.   I want to get the most of of that DAC, so this streamer makes sense .

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